Storage Protocols Research Articles

Seed Desiccation Sensitivity Varies with Geographic Distribution in Two New Zealand Native Pittosporum Species

Ex situ conservation involves the maintenance and reproduction of species in areas outside their natural habitats. Seed banking is a well-established ex situ approach used for plant conservation. Seed banking consists of collecting, drying, and storing seeds to preserve genetic diversity. The main limitation of this technique is that the seed must be desiccation tolerant. Seed storage behaviour can vary among species, and for some species, drying without loss of viability is not possible, meaning storage under conventional seed banking conditions (sub-zero temperatures and low relative humidity) is not possible. Understanding seed storage behaviour is an essential prerequisite for establishing whether conventional seed banking is an option for seed conservation. This study investigated the desiccation tolerance and sensitivity of mature seeds of two native New Zealand species of Pittosporum (P. eugenioides and P. crassifolium) from two geographic locations (Palmerston North and Wellington), with the aim of understanding their seed storage behaviour and thereby improving conservation outcomes. The variables measured were seed moisture content, viability, germination, and desiccation responses. We developed sorption isotherm for both species to support the future development of storage protocols. Our results show that both P. eugenioides and P. crassifolium display non-orthodox behaviour, i.e., are desiccation sensitive and cannot be stored under conventional seed banking conditions, but also suggest that seed desiccation responses vary with the geographical origin of the seeds. This study highlights the importance of exploring seed storage behaviour using different populations to optimize ex situ conservation strategies aimed at preserving the genetic diversity of New Zealand’s threatened and endangered species.

Storage Temperature and Grain Moisture Effects on Market and End Use Properties of Red Lentil

Storing lentil is a strategy used by growers to manage price volatility. However, studies investigating the impact of storage conditions on the market and end use properties of lentil are limited. This study examined the effects of storage temperature (4, 15, 25, and 35 °C) and grain moisture (10 and 14%, w/w) on traits related to market (seed coat colour), viability (germination capacity), and end use properties (hydration capacity, milling efficiency, and cooking quality) in four red lentil cultivars (PBA Bolt, PBA Hallmark, PBA Hurricane, PBA Jumbo2) over 360 days. Storing lentil at 14% moisture content and 35 °C significantly (p = 0.05) darkened seed coat after 30 days, caused complete loss of viability within 180 days and reduced cooking quality (cooked firmness) after 120 days across all tested cultivars. Storing lentil at 10% moisture content and 35 °C reduced hydration capacity after 30 days, and milling efficiency after 120 days across all cultivars tested. PBA Jumbo2 exhibited a higher rate of degradation in hydration capacity and cooking quality, and a lower rate of degradation in the other traits studied. Storing lentil at ≤15 °C prevented degradation of all quality traits. These findings will support improved lentil storage protocols to maintain quality and improve economic outcomes for the pulse industry.

Conservation of Zostera marina: Evaluating the effectiveness of seed storage conditions for restoration

Zostera marina is a seagrass species that acts as an ecosystem engineer, creating biodiversity-rich habitats that offer important ecosystem services. The species is, however, in decline across its range owing to environmental change and anthropogenic impacts. Conservation work includes the use of seeds and shoots to restore seagrass meadows, although ex situ storage of Z. marina seeds is a small area of research and there is no one set protocol. This study investigated the effects of salinity and temperature on the maintenance of dormancy and viability of Z. marina seeds during cold storage. Seeds were stored at 1 °C and 4 °C, in a range of salinity solutions (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 psu) over a period of 112 days. Results were collected by a velocity-based viability test at 28-day intervals, with seeds categorised as either viable, non-viable or germinated. Over the course of the storage period, results indicated that low salinities (20, 30, 40 and 50 psu) would exhibit premature germination during storage as well as loss of viable seeds at either temperature, while 60 and 70 psu groups have zero germinations and the highest viable seed number is found in 70 psu groups. Analysis revealed that overall temperature was only statistically significant in relation to viable seeds at 1 °C, suggesting that this is the better temperature to maintain viability. The study indicates that low salinity should be avoided for Z. marina seed storage; instead, a salinity solution of 70 psu at 1 °C storage for up to 4 months could ensure seed dormancy is unbroken and few seeds become non-viable. Overall, results from this study were used to create a simple storage protocol that could contribute to community-based restoration projects.

Preservation of Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Porcine Cardiac Outflow Vessels after Decellularization and Wet Storage.

Widely used storage methods, including freezing or chemical modification, preserve the sterility of biological tissues but degrade the mechanical properties of materials used to make heart valve prostheses. Therefore, wet storage remains the most optimal option for biomaterials. Three biocidal solutions (an antibiotic mixture, an octanediol-phenoxyethanol complex solution, and a glycerol-ethanol mixture) were studied for the storage of native and decellularized porcine aorta and pulmonary trunk. Subsequent mechanical testing and microstructural analysis showed a slight increase in the tensile strength of native and decellularized aorta in the longitudinal direction. Pulmonary trunk elongation increased 1.3-1.6 times in the longitudinal direction after decellularization only. The microstructures of the tested specimens showed no differences before and after wet storage. Thus, two months of wet storage of native and decellularized porcine aorta and pulmonary trunks does not significantly affect the strength and elastic properties of the material. The wet storage protocol using alcohol solutions of glycerol or octanediol-phenoxyethanol mixture may be intended for further fabrication of extracellular matrix for tissue-engineered biological heart valve prostheses.

Public Blockchain-Based Data Integrity Verification for Low-Power IoT Devices

The integration of sensor nodes with public blockchains is possible with the help of low-power communication networks that use Bluetooth Low Energy and LoRa. However, power-consuming Wi-Fi is still the main means of communication for the existing sensor nodes, especially in urban environments. Typically high power consumption, private key disclosure, and high transaction fees are the issues that prevent battery-powered sensor nodes from being integrated with a public blockchain. Therefore, this paper proposes a data protection protocol that is able to secure the data integrity of the stored sensor data, help to reduce transaction fees, and prolong battery life for IoT devices that are used with public blockchain networks. A proof of concept is presented using an ESP32S2 device to evaluate and verify the performance of the proposed data storage protocol. A smart contract is designed and analyzed using a formal smart contract analysis tool. A decentralized web application is designed to display and verify the sensor data extracted from the public blockchain. The power consumption, memory usage, and security of the proposed solution are evaluated. The evaluation results show that data integrity can be achieved even for low-power sensor nodes that connect to public blockchains via Wi-Fi network.

VESPo: Verified Evaluation of Secret Polynomials (with application to dynamic proofs of retrievability)

Proofs of Retrievability are protocols which allow a Client to store data remotely and to efficiently ensure, via audits, that the entirety of that data is still intact. Dynamic Proofs of Retrievability (DPoR) also support efficient retrieval and update of any small portion of the data. We propose a novel protocol for arbitrary outsourced data storage that achieves both low remote storage size and audit complexity. A key ingredient, that can be also of intrinsic interest, reduces to efficiently evaluating a secret polynomial at given public points, when the (encrypted) polynomial is stored on an untrusted Server. The Server performs the evaluations and also returns associated certificates. A Client can check that the evaluations are correct using the certificates and some pre-computed keys, more efficiently than re-evaluating the polynomial. Our protocols support two important features: the polynomial itself can be encrypted on the Server, and it can be dynamically updated by changing individual coefficients cheaply without redoing the entire setup. Our methods rely on linearly homomorphic encryption and pairings, and our implementation shows good performance for polynomial evaluations with millions of coefficients, and efficient DPoR with terabytes of data. For instance, for a 1TB database, compared to the state of art, we can reduce the Client storage by 5000x, communication size by 20x, and client-side audit time by 2x, at the cost of one order of magnitude increase in server-side audit time.

A Management Specification for Data Sharing Security in the System Construction of Smart Mine

With the development of Internet of Things technology and the informatization of the coal industry, various intelligent applications have emerged in the process of the system construction of the smart mine. During this process, data sharing is essential to the effective use of data resources in the smart mine. In order to improve the protection of coal mine data, this study proposes a set of management specifications for data sharing applied to the system construction of a smart mine to unify security standards in data storage and sharing. It standardizes the processes of data collection, transmission, and storage. We design three subspecifications for these processes, namely, data source specification, data quality specification, and data storage specification. The data source specification specifies the data collection and transmission standards to improve the security and timeliness of data sharing. The data quality specification sets three evaluation criteria of integrity, accuracy, and timeliness according to the characteristics of each business system and data. The system ensures data quality during data sharing by governing and recording the data failing to meet the criteria. The data storage specification specifies the data storage protocol, data label, and data set restrictions. Only authorized platforms and users can share data and make use of data labels to search data efficiently. Finally, we constructed a coal mine data collection and analysis system. It can collect, manage, store, and safely share the real measured data from a certain colliery according to the specifications.

IPAPS: An improved public auditing protocol for secure data storage in cloud‐based medical storage system

AbstractCloud‐based medical storage system is becoming popular. Cloud server is curious about the private information of stored cases, and the integrity of outsourced data has become increasingly concerned. Numerous public auditing protocols for the outsourced data into the cloud server were proposed. Unfortunately, in the existing protocols, some of them may neglect security to improve efficiency. Recently, Li et al. proposed an efficient privacy‐preserving public auditing protocol for cloud‐based medical storage system (EPPAP), which improved the communication efficiency by storing some of data owner's data in third part auditors, however we find that the protocol is vulnerable to collusion attack and replace attack. In this paper, we analyze the security attacks of the existing protocol, and further propose an improved public auditing protocol for secure data storage in cloud‐based medical storage system (IPAPS). In addition, we give the formal security proof and analyze the performance of our proposed protocol. The security proof shows our protocol takes into account integrity, collusion attack and replace attack at the same time. The simulation experiments in our performance analysis show that the proposed protocol is practical.

Ultra-high-field MRI of postmortem human fetal wrist joints: initial experience

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the feasibility of postmortem ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF-MRI) to study fetal musculoskeletal anatomy and explore the contribution of variation in iodine and formaldehyde (paraformaldehyde, PFA) treatment of tissue.MethodsSeven upper extremities from human fetuses with gestational ages of 19 to 24 weeks were included in this experimental study, approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee. The specimens were treated with various storage (0.2–4% PFA) and staining (Lugol’s solution) protocols and the wrist joint was subsequently imaged with 7.0 T UHF-MRI. Soft-tissue contrast was quantified by determining regions of interest within a chondrified carpal bone (CCB) from the proximal row, the triangular fibrocartilage (TFC), and the pronator quadratus muscle (PQM) and calculating the contrast ratios (CRs) between mean signal intensities of CCB to TFC and CCB to PQM.ResultsUHF-MRI showed excellent soft-tissue contrast in different musculoskeletal tissues. Increasing storage time in 4% PFA, CRs decreased, resulting in a shift from relatively hyperintense to hypointense identification of the CCB. Storage in 0.2% PFA barely influenced the CRs over time. Lugol’s solution caused an increase in CRs and might have even contributed to the inversion of the CRs.ConclusionsUHF-MRI is a feasible technique to image musculoskeletal structures in fetal upper extremities and most successful after short storage in 4% PFA or prolonged storage in 0.2% PFA. The use of Lugol’s solution is not detrimental on soft-tissue MRI contrast and therefore enables effectively combining UHF-MRI with contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography using a single preparation of the specimen.Relevance statementUHF-MRI can be performed after CE-micro-CT to take advantage of both techniques.Key points• UHF-MRI is feasible to study human fetal cartilaginous and ligamentous anatomy.• Storage in low PFA concentrations (i.e., 0.2%) improves soft-tissue contrast in UHF-MRI.• Limited preservation time in high concentrations of PFA improves soft-tissue contrast in UHF-MRI.• Prior staining with Lugol’s solution does not reduce soft-tissue contrast in UHF-MRI.Graphical

A Low-Overhead Auditing Protocol for Dynamic Cloud Storage Based on Algebra

With the widespread adoption of cloud storage, ensuring the integrity of outsourced data has become increasingly important. Various cloud storage auditing protocols based on public key cryptography have been proposed. However, all of them require complex cryptographic operations and incur significant storage and communication costs. To address the issues of significant storage overhead for data tags, high computational complexity of cryptographic algorithms, and limited efficiency of dynamic data algorithms in signature algorithm-based cloud storage outsourcing data integrity verification protocols, we propose a dynamic auditing protocol called AB-DPDP, which is based on algebra. Our protocol reduces the computational complexity of tag generation by utilizing basic algebraic operations instead of the traditional cryptographic method used in most current auditing protocols. To reduce storage overhead and protect private data, our protocol stores only tags, allowing for data to be restored through these tags, as opposed to storing both tags and data on the cloud server. To accommodate for more frequent and efficient data dynamics, we propose the dynamic index skip table data structure. Furthermore, the security of our proposed protocol is thoroughly proven based on the security definition of secure cloud storage. Finally, through theoretical analysis and experimental evaluation, we demonstrate the advantages of our scheme in terms of data privacy, storage overhead, communication overhead, computation overhead, and data dynamic efficiency.

Standards of Fluid Biomarker Collection and Pre-analytical Processes in Humans and Mice: Recommendations by the Ataxia Global Initiative Working Group on Biomarkers.

The Ataxia Global Initiative (AGI) aims to serve as a platform to facilitate clinical trial readiness for the hereditary ataxias. Clinical trials for these diseases have been hampered by the lack of objective measures to study disease onset, progression, and treatment efficacy. While these issues are not unique to the genetic ataxias, the relative rarity of these diseases makes the need for such measures even more pressing to achieve statistical power in clinical trials. In this report, we have described the efforts of the AGI fluid biomarker working group (WG) in developing uniform protocols for biomarker sampling and storage, both for human and preclinical studies in mice. By reducing collection variability, we anticipate reduced noise in downstream biomarker analysis that will improve statistical power and minimize the necessary sample size. The emphasis has been on defining and standardizing the sampling and pre-analytical work-up of minimal set of biological samples, specifically blood plasma and serum, keeping in mind the need for harmonization of collection and storage that can be achieved with relatively limited cost and resources. An optional package is detailed for those centers that have the resources and commitment for additional biofluids/sample processing and storage. Finally, we have delineated similar standardized protocols for mice that will be important for preclinical studies in the field.

The use of a gravity-assisted-storage-extraction protocol for hydrogen storage in saline aquifers

The hydrogen gas produced through the electrolysis of water using excess energy could serve as a prospective source to meet peak energy demand during certain seasons. Because of the large storage capacity and ease of accessibility, saline aquifers are a highly desirable geological storage option for hydrogen. Common challenges encountered in aquifer-based hydrogen storage systems during production include the notable lateral migration of the hydrogen plume caused by the high mobility of hydrogen, as well as the occurrence of gravity override due to the low density of hydrogen and the subsequent production of significant amounts of water during withdrawal. The proposed approach for mitigating water coning and increasing hydrogen production is a gravity-assisted-storage-extraction (GASE) protocol. This involves injecting the working hydrogen gas from the lower region of the formation and extracting it from the top region using a horizontal well. The proposed process capitalizes on the gravitational effects that facilitate the vertical migration of hydrogen, creating a gas-enriched zone within the aquifer. This results in improved hydrogen production as the lateral flow of water and hydrogen is restricted. The implementation of GASE protocol is demonstrated by numerical simulation experiment based on an actual hydrogen storage site at San Pedro belt. The results of simulations conducted on the numerical model indicate that if the GASE protocol is implemented, it has the potential to recover over 93% of the working gas, which is a 20–30% improvement compared to the data that has been previously published. The major limitation of the GASE protocol is the potential capital cost increments due to the drilling and completion of the horizontal wells, which makes it more suitable for a hydrogen storage project with long-term and sustainable hydrogen supplies.

78 Improvement of Cell Viability in Temporary Storage of Split Thickness Skin Grafts

Abstract Introduction Autologous split thickness skin grafts (STSGs) are the preferred donor tissue for restoration of large tissue deficits. Although grafting should be done at the time of donor harvest, various factors necessitate tissue storage, traditionally in saline solution (SS) at 4oC. However, STSGs often expire before grafting in these conditions. Patients then require further excision procedures or die due to inadequate skin coverage. For patients’ wellbeing, establishing a new storage protocol is imperative. This study sought to determine an effective storage media for prolongation of graft viability for subsequent incorporation into excision and grafting practice. Methods Following patient consent, excess tissue >1cm2 was collected after grafting procedures. Tissue was stored at 4oC in RPMI, DMEM, and SS with penicillin/streptomycin. Samples were evaluated at 2, 5, 7, and 14 days. Cell viability was measured by Trypan blue dye exclusion test in an automated cell counter yielding percentage of viable keratinocytes (PVK). An unbiased pathologist assessed tissue integrity by epidermal-dermal junction, perinuclear keratinocyte halos, and collagen organization with higher scores denoting deterioration. Data were evaluated by ANOVA and Effect size. Results A total of 155 sets of two specimens each were collected from 13 patients. Mean PVK values at day 2, 5, 7, and 14: SS (57.38, 36.96, 38.38, 27.50), RPMI (69.46, 69.92, 70.33, 62.67), DMEM (63.17, 53.50, 54.83, 37.92). By pairwise comparison, RPMI preserved PVK better than SS at days 5, 7, and 14 (p = 0.001 for each day). DMEM preserved PVK better than SS when comparing all days (p = 0.011) but failed to produce a statistically significant difference at any specific day. RPMI preserved PVK greater than DMEM each day. However, statistically significant differences were only revealed at day 14 (p = 0.017) and when comparing all days (p < 0.001). Effect size was large for overall group differences of PVK at day 5, 7, and 14 (Cohen’s f = 0.72, 0.73, and 0.75). Tissue integrity scores at day 2, 5, 7, and 14: SS (0.69, 1.0, 1.38, 2.0), RPMI (0.54, 0.92, 0.85, 1.54), DMEM (0.77, 0.92, 0.77, 1.15). Although culture media preserved tissue integrity greater than SS, no statistically significant differences were found. Conclusions RPMI preserved cell viability better than DMEM and SS. This suggests that STSGs stored in RPMI may prolong the time of which tissue could be stored and successfully amalgamated with skin. Applicability of Research to Practice Storing tissue in RPMI could benefit burn patients by decreasing tissue disposal therefore reducing future donor site area or eliminating repetitious excision procedures entirely. These effects decrease inpatient days and healthcare costs. Most importantly, successful tissue storage will save patients’ lives, especially those of large surface area burns who lack sufficient donor sites.

Investment in Healthcare through Dental Stem Cell Banking in India

Tooth Banking is a simple alternative to recover stem cells with the potential for differentiation into various cells of the body. Young and healthy pulp is a enriched source of stem cells. These cells can be preserved for a longer time to treat various ailments like heart disease, cancer, repairing or even growing damaged organs etc. Likewise, stem cells recovered can be used in regenerative procedures in dentistry. There are many companies offering tooth banking with simple protocols for stem cell banking and storage. This review is based on various dental stem cell banks and details of harvesting with the applications and limitations of procedures. Sources of information are various articles on stem cell banking from reputed journals. Likewise, informative survey of official websites of dental stem cell banks and verbal information extracted from their representatives.

A novel method to pack cryopreserved amniotic membrane for wound dressing—the pathway through validation of a new biological product

Amniotic membrane (AM) has been widely used as a biological dressing for many pathologies and illnesses worldwide, and products derived from this tissue have been commercially available in several countries. In Brazil, regulatory agencies have recently authorized its clinical use as a non-experimental therapy for burns, diabetic and venous stasis ulcers, and intrauterine adhesions. In this study, we present our pathway through validating the first available service in the country of AM cryopreservation, with a protocol for long-term storage in high-efficiency nitrogen cryogenic freezers and a specific way of packing the tissue for optimal clinical handling and efficient storage space utilization while preserving live cells and the tissue’s biological properties. Using gauze as support, cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide and product presentation as a multilayer roll exhibited the best cell viability results and maintained the tissue integrity and presence of stem/progenitor cells. Essential proteins involved in tissue regeneration and immune and antimicrobial control were detected from the secretome of cryopreserved tissue similar to fresh tissue. Furthermore, immunogenic markers, such as human leukocyte antigens, were detected at very low levels in the tissue, confirming their low immunogenicity. Finally, we demonstrate that the tissue can be kept under refrigerated conditions for up to 7 d for further use, maintaining sterility and considerable cell viability. Our cryopreservation and storage protocol kept the AM viable for at least 20 months. In conclusion, this study enabled us to determine a novel efficient protocol for long-term AM preservation for future clinical applications.

Evaluation of Structural Viability of Porcine Tracheal Scaffolds after 3 and 6 Months of Storage under Three Different Protocols.

Tracheal replacement with a bioengineered tracheal substitute has been developed for long-segment tracheal diseases. The decellularized tracheal scaffold is an alternative for cell seeding. It is not defined if the storage scaffold produces changes in the scaffold's biomechanical properties. We tested three protocols for porcine tracheal scaffold preservation immersed in PBS and alcohol 70%, in the fridge and under cryopreservation. Ninety-six porcine tracheas (12 in natura, 84 decellularized) were divided into three groups (PBS, alcohol, and cryopreservation). Twelve tracheas were analyzed after three and six months. The assessment included residual DNA, cytotoxicity, collagen contents, and mechanical properties. Decellularization increased the maximum load and stress in the longitudinal axis and decreased the maximum load in the transverse axis. The decellularization of the porcine trachea produced structurally viable scaffolds, with a preserved collagen matrix suitable for further bioengineering. Despite the cyclic washings, the scaffolds remained cytotoxic. The comparison of the storage protocols (PBS at 4 °C, alcohol at 4 °C, and slow cooling cryopreservation with cryoprotectants) showed no significant differences in the amount of collagen and in the biomechanical properties of the scaffolds. Storage in PBS solution at 4 °C for six months did not change the scaffold mechanics.

107 Equine fecal pH measurement methods and storage protocols

The pH of the equine gastrointestinal lumen influences digestion, the microbiome, and enterocyte physiology, each having important impacts on horses. Fecal pH is a simple and noninvasive variable that reflects changes in hindgut pH. The objectives were to evaluate whether there is agreement between fecal pH measured by a meter and pH strips and to determine the effect of storage temperature and time on pH. Fecal samples were collected from 5 broodmares and 8 yearlings on one farm and 12 school horses on another. Feces were collected within 1 min of defecation from an uncontaminated region. A portable pH meter (Hanna Instruments model #9812) and 3 pH strips were used to measure the pH of 4 sub-samples: fresh, 24 h refrigerated at 4°C, 6- and 16-weeks frozen at −20°C. Samples were thawed in a water bath to 20–23°C before measurement. Fecal liquid without the addition of distilled water was used for meter readings. The ranges of the 3 pH strips were 4.5–10 (S1), 5.1–7.2 (S2), and 6.0–7.7 (S3). A 1:2 ratio of feces to distilled water was used for pH strip measurements to ensure readability related to color staining. All pH strips had a strong positive correlation (>0.8) with pH meter. Linear regressions between pH measured by strips and meter resulted in r2 between 0.76 (S1) and 0.86 (S2). Bland-Altman plots quantified agreement between pH meter and S1 (bias 0.005, 95% CI −0.448 to 0.458), S2 (bias −0.033, 95% CI −0.408 to 0.342), and S3(bias −0.044, 95% CI −0.426 to 0.338). Therefore, S2 best reflects the meter pH, with the highest r2 and the narrowest Bland-Altman CI. The influence of storage temperature and time were analyzed with a mixed ANOVA. Significance was set at P < 0.05 and data are presented as means ± sem. The pH of fresh and 6-weeks frozen samples was higher than 24 h refrigerated samples (6.49 ± 0.31, 6.47 ± 0.31, 6.39 ± 0.31, P < 0.001, respectively). No difference was detected comparing the pH of 16-week frozen (6.43 ± 0.31) to other sub-samples. There was a trend for it to be lower than fresh (P = 0.082). This may indicate relevant change due to long-term frozen storage. A difference in the fresh fecal pH (P < 0.001) was detected using all techniques between the 2 farms (pH meter results: 6.78 ± 0.11, 6.20 ± 0.09; respectively). The reason for the difference is beyond the scope of this study. The ability to detect pH differences could be valuable to those interested in management strategies influencing gastrointestinal health. The results of this study indicate that pH strips differ in their ability to reflect pH meter readings, storage temperature and time of storage may influence pH, and pH strips may be useful in detecting relevant differences in fecal pH.

Methods for Long-Term Storage of Pure Cultures of Macrofungi

Basidiomycetous macrofungi have significant biotechnological potential and are promising objects for use in va-rious industrial sectors, such as food production, pharmaceuticals, the production of active compounds and polysaccharides. The industrial use of macrofungi implies the presence of large collections of cultures using sto-rage protocols that ensure the preservation of viability, reproduction, genetic stability and the ability to produce active compounds. With the expansion of the list of industrially used species, it is advisable to develop new protocols for the storage of strains and optimize the existing ones for new, promising types of macrofungi. It seems necessary to study in detail the effect of long periods of storage on morphological and cultural characteristics, genetic stability, enzymatic activity, and the ability to form sexual structures.

Comparison of NaOH and Na2CO3 as absorbents for CO2 absorption in carbon capture and storage technology

CO2 gas is a greenhouse gas that causes global warming. Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that can absorb and reflect infrared radiation from the Earth's surface. Currently, the energy demand still depends on fossil fuels. On the other hand, CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels continue to increase and contribute as greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. CO2 capture is an effort to reduce the burden of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and is part of the Carbon, Capture, and Storage (CCS) protocol. The CO2 absorption process applied in the chemical industry is one of the CO2 absorptions using NaOH and Na2CO3 solutions as absorbents. This research aims to determine the effect of absorbent flow rate on the percentage of absorbed CO2. The method used in this research is the SLR (Systematic Literature Review) method to identify all available research. The absorbent flow rate variations used are 1 liter/minute, 1.5 liters/minute, 2 liters/minute, 2.5 liters/minute, and 3 liters/minute. The absorption process using NaOH absorbent is capable of absorbing CO2 gas with a maximum absorption of 95.52% and a minimum of 79.14%. Meanwhile, in the Na2CO3 absorbent, it is capable of absorbing CO2 gas with a maximum amount absorbed of 72.45% and a minimum of 35.47%.

Instability of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites at 4°C: Time to freeze matters.

The use of fecal corticosteroid metabolites (FCMs) has proven to be well suited to evaluate adrenocortical activity, a major component of the stress response, particularly in wildlife. As with any tools, confounding factors and drawbacks must be carefully considered. Among them, sample preservation and storage are of particular importance, as they can affect stability of FCMs and lead to biased results and interpretations. Arguably, immediate freezing of fecal samples upon collection is the best practice to preserve FCM integrity, however, for logistical reasons, this condition is rarely feasible in the field. It is generally argued that temporary storage of samples at low above-zero temperature is an acceptable way of preserving samples in the field before freezing them for long-term storage. However, to our knowledge, there is no empirical study that demonstrates the stability of fecal metabolites in samples stored at +4°C. In this study, we collected a fresh fecal sample from 20 captive roe deer, each of which was homogenized and split into three subsamples (60 subsamples in total) to investigate the effects on FCMs levels of temporary storage at +4°C for 24 h and 48 h before freezing versus immediate freezing at -20°C after feces collection. Compared to immediate freezing, mean FCMs levels decreased by 25% every 24 h when feces were stored at +4°C before freezing. The variance of FCMs levels followed the same pattern, leading to a clear reduction in the ability to detect biological effects. Minimizing the storage time at +4°C before freezing should therefore be seriously considered when establishing sampling and storage protocols for feces in the field for adequate hormonal profiling.